UAE stocks plunge for second day on Dubai debt woes

Stock markets in the United Arab Emirates plunged for a second day after the government ruled out a guarantee on Dubai World's 59 billion dollars of debt and the troubled conglomerate unveiled major restructuring plans.

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AFP - The Emirati stock markets of Dubai and Abu Dhabi closed trading on Tuesday down 5.61 percent and 3.57 percent, respectively, as investors continued a sell-off triggered by Dubai World's debt woes.

Dubai's DFM index closed at 1,831.48 points, slightly up from the morning opening of 1,819.16 points.

But the figure represented a 12.5-percent slump in the two days of trading since Dubai World's announcement last Wednesday that it wants a minimum six-month freeze on debt repayments for its Dubai World group.

Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange closed at 2,573.08 points, also up marginally from earlier trading, but 11.6 percent down from last Wednesday's close, just ahead of the Dubai World statement.